MonaLisa Touch

Most commonly seen in post-menopausal women, survivors of breast cancer, and women who have undergone a hysterectomy, atrophic vaginitis  causes the vaginal walls to lose elasticity and moisture due to decreased estrogen production, resulting in painful sex. In the US alone, "as many as 50% of 64 million post-menopausal women suffer from changes to their gynecologic health*, and over 2.8M breast cancer survivors**" Cynosure reports. To counteract this often painful diagnosis, DEKA, an Italian company, created MonaLisa Touch. 

Cynosure states that MonaLisa Touch "delivers fractional CO₂laser energy to the vaginal wall tissue," healing the vaginal walls and building up the lost tissues and elasticity. 

MonaLisa Touch laser
Photo courtesy of SmileMonaLisa. 

In December, 2014, the FDA approved the MonaLisa Touch laser, marking the beginnings of the procedure's introduction to the United States medical field. Because the procedure is new, and originated in Europe, much information is still unavailable to US patients. With the FDA approval, though, this procedure begin to make it's way into the mainstream medical field.

SmileMonaLisa writes: "MonaLisa Touch is a medical laser that delivers controlled energy to the vaginal tissue so cells make more collagen, thus, revitalizing the vaginal mucosa and increasing moisture."

The laser is small enough so no anesthesia is needed. The treatment costs $1500 for three treatments, although price will vary depending on health insurance and on which country the procedure takes place in. The procedures are all spaced six weeks apart. Each procedure occurs in a physicians office and is done in under five minutes. No anesthesia is required, and no pain is felt.

While MonaLisa Touch still has a journey to making it to mainstream medical fields all over the globe, the procedure opens up the doors for communication about vaginal atrophy, something that many women are afraid to discuss.

More information about MonaLisa Touch can be found at SmileMonaLisa, Cynosure, and MonaLisa Touch.

* US Census, 2010   ** National Institutes of Health 2011